The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-27
RoxALANNA DRUsE.
Her Stole Suppression of Feeling Yields as
the Time Of Death Draws Near.

Her Stole Suppression of Feeling Yields as
the Time of Death Draws Near
Herkimer en-. Y.) Special.
Preparations for carrying out the death pen
atty in the case of Mrs. Roxalanna Druse. who
murdered her husband, are making by Sheriff
Cook, as it is considered that there will be no
further interference in the interest OF the con-
demned woman, and that on Monday next she
must die. Up to this morning Mrs. Druse had
shown little feeling over her approaching end,
but after playing two or three times the
organ which was presented to her early in her
prison lfe and to which she has had access, the
tears came into her eyes. She hastily closed and
locked the instrument and walked to her cell
sobbing aloud.
Her emotion was caused, perhaps by the fact
that the organ was to be shipped to Syracuse
later in the day to her daughter Mary, who is
serving e life sentence in the Onondaga peniten-
tiary for completely in the crime for which Mrs.
Druse is to be hanged. Mrs. Druse has passed
many hours at the instrument, and few days
ago she expressed desire to have it sent to
Mary, providing that the permission of Superin-
tendent Terry, of the penitentary, could be OBJ
tanned. His consent was obtained by letter yes
terday. and the organ was sent to Syracuse to-
day With it were packed all of the best dresses,
underclothipg and keepsakes designed by Mrs.
Druse for Mary
For the last two days of the village dress
makers has been busy making the outfit in which
the woman is to be hanged. Mrs. Druse is much
interested in the progress of the work, and it is
proposed to keep the dress making going on till
Saturday night If for no other reason than to
keep her mind occupied. Mrs Druse has been
| very particular as to the style and make Of the
Dress and has insisted on having it fit her WELL
Sheriff Cook will not ply with Mrs. Druse s
wish to have public funeral in the courtroom
whore she was tried, with the Rev. Mr. Powell.
| her spiritual adviser, as the officiating clergy
| man. No word has yet been received by the
/ sheriff from any of Mrs. Druse's relatives as to
| whether they will claim the body or not. The
| coffin has already been ordered from undertaken
| Howell, and will be taken to the jail early on
| Monday morning. The sheriff has not yet issued
any passes for people to witness the execution.
preferring to await the action of the Assembly
| and Governor Hill on the Mcmillan bill.
| A few days ago tramp, who gave his name
rested and locked up in the jail 1t was soon
| learned that he was painter by trade and a
| good one. He was furnished with pot of white
| paint and brush, yesterday, and the gallows on
/ which Mrs. Druse is to be hanged has been ma
| terially changed in appearance. 1t will be pu,
| up in the jal-yard on Friday and thoroughly
| tested A new weight has been secured as the
| one used heretofore. weighing $40 pounds, was
| thought to be too heavy. Sheriff Cook says thai
| if the Mcmillan bill becomes a law he will com
ply with its provisions to the letter. and in tha
case but few people will witness the execution
| which will doubtless take place as early as II
| o'clock in the morning.
This evening Mrs Druse seems to have eiver
up all hope and to realize that she must die OIL
the scaffold. She has become more reticen
about her case, and to-day spent much of he
time alone in her CELL She slept for about two
hours this afternoon, something she has not dom
for weeks before.